Background of the Invention
[0001] This invention relates to a gaming apparatus for playing casino or other games, such
as slots, poker, keno, bingo and blackjack, having actuatable switches for providing
user input.
[0002] Conventional gaming units are typically provided with a cabinet and a gaming display
mounted inside the cabinet. A screen made of glass or plexi-glass is typically provided
with the cabinet to prevent direct access to the display by a user. The gaming display
may be mechanical, such as a series of stepper wheels, or may be electronic such as
a video display that is capable of generating video images. Whether mechanical or
electronic, the gaming display may be capable of generating images associated with
a game, such as poker, blackjack, slots, keno, or bingo. In addition, gaming units
are known that have a first, or primary, display and a second, or bonus, display.
The first and second displays may be electrical, mechanical, or a combination mechanical
and electrical.
[0003] Selections may be made during casino game play via user inputs. The inputs allow
a user to effect a variety of gaming alternatives, such as game type, wager amount,
or strategic decisions. Typically, a user input is provided in the form of a depressable
button that actuates a mechanical switch. Such buttons are subject to frequent actuation
and use abuse, and therefore may quickly wear. In addition, while the buttons must
be accessible to the user from an exterior of the cabinet, they must also be connected
to the switch located inside the cabinet, and therefore only a limited number of areas
are available for button location. A hole must be formed in the cabinet for each button,
increasing assembly time and complexity of the gaming unit. Still further, conventional
mechanical switches used in gaming units typically require a four wire connection.
As a result, gaming units having several buttons require extensive harnesses that
are difficult to build and install, and occupy a substantial amount of space inside
the cabinet.
[0004] The bonus display, if provided, is typically positioned in a top box located above
the primary display. Unfortunately, the buttons used to play the bonus game are typically
located below the primary display with the other buttons, thereby creating a potential
source of confusion for the user. Locating bonus game buttons in the screen enclosing
the bonus display, while possible, would require holes to be formed in the screen.
Consequently, the screen, which is typically made of glass, will be weakened and more
prone to breaking, and assembly costs for the gaming unit are increased.
[0005] As an alternative to mechanical buttons, other gaming units provide a touchscreen
for inputting user selections. Touchscreens are usable in applications using one or
more video displays that are directly accessible to the user. Accordingly, a touchscreen
may not be used if a mechanical display is used. Even if a video display is provided,
the use of a touchscreen may be prohibited if the display is enclosed behind a screen.
Furthermore, touchscreens are relatively expensive and overly complex, and therefore
less reliable.
Summary of the Invention
[0006] In accordance with the teachings of the present invention, a gaming apparatus may
comprise a display unit that is capable of generating gaming images and a value input
device. A touch pad assembly may be provided including at least one touch pad having
a touch detection field, wherein at least a portion of said touch detection field
defines a touch area and wherein a user touch in said touch area creates a disturbance
in said touch detection field to generate a switch activation signal. A controller
is operatively coupled to said display unit and said value input device, said controller
comprising a processor and a memory operatively coupled to said processor. Said controller
is programmed to allow a person to make a wager and cause a gaming image to be generated
on said display unit, said gaming image representing a game selected from said group
of games consisting of poker, blackjack, slots, keno and bingo. Said controller is
programmed to determine a value payout associated with an outcome of said game, and
respond to said switch activation signal.
[0007] The image may represent a casino game selected from the group of casino games consisting
of poker, blackjack, slots, keno and bingo, in which case the image may comprise an
image of at least five playing cards if the casino game comprises poker; the image
may comprise an image of a plurality of slot machine reels if the casino game comprises
slots; the image may comprise an image of a plurality of playing cards if the casino
game comprises blackjack; the image may comprise an image of a plurality of keno numbers
if the casino game comprises keno; and the image may comprise an image of a bingo
grid if the casino game comprises bingo.
[0008] The gaming apparatus may include a graphical representation for indicating said touch
area. The display unit may be mounted inside a housing having a screen, wherein said
touch pad is positioned near an interior of said screen such that said touch area
includes at least a portion of said screen exterior side. The touch pad may be supported
by said screen or by a sub-panel supported independent of said screen. The touch detection
field may comprise an electromagnetic field.
[0009] The features and advantages of the present invention will be apparent to those of
ordinary skill in the art in view of the detailed description of various embodiments,
which is made with reference to the drawings, a brief description of which is provided
below.
Brief Description of the Drawings
[0010]
Fig. 1 is a block diagram of an embodiment of a gaming system in accordance with the
invention;
Fig. 2 is a perspective view of an embodiment of one of the gaming units shown schematically
in Fig. 1;
Fig. 2A illustrates an embodiment of a user input area for a gaming unit;
Fig. 2B is an enlarged front elevation view of a top portion of a cabinet similar
to that shown in Fig. 2;
Fig. 2C is a rear elevation view of the cabinet top portion of Fig. 2B;
Fig. 2D is a side elevation view of the cabinet top portion of Fig 2B;
Fig. 2E is a side elevation view similar to Fig. 2D illustrating an alternative embodiment
of a touch pad assembly;
Fig. 2F is a side elevation view of an alternative embodiment of a touch pad assembly
using transparent conductive film;
Fig. 3 is a block diagram of the electronic components of the gaming unit of Fig.
2;
Fig. 4 is a flowchart of an embodiment of a main routine that may be performed during
operation of one or more of the gaming units;
Fig. 5 is a flowchart of an alternative embodiment of a main routine that may be performed
during operation of one or more of the gaming units;
Fig. 6 is an illustration of an embodiment of a visual display that may be displayed
during performance of the video poker routine of Fig. 8;
Fig. 7 is an illustration of an embodiment of a visual display that may be displayed
during performance of the video blackjack routine of Fig. 9;
Fig. 8 is a flowchart of an embodiment of a video poker routine that may be performed
by one or more of the gaming units;
Fig. 9 is a flowchart of an embodiment of a video blackjack routine that may be performed
by one or more of the gaming units;
Fig. 10 is an illustration of an embodiment of a visual display that may be displayed
during performance of the slots routine of Fig. 12;
Fig. 11 is an illustration of an embodiment of a visual display that may be displayed
during performance of the video keno routine of Fig. 13;
Fig. 12 is a flowchart of an embodiment of a slots routine that may be performed by
one or more of the gaming units;
Fig. 13 is a flowchart of an embodiment of a video keno routine that may be performed
by one or more of the gaming units;
Fig. 14 is an illustration of an embodiment of a visual display that may be displayed
during performance of the video bingo routine of Fig. 15; and
Fig. 15 is a flowchart of an embodiment of a video bingo routine that may be performed
by one or more of the gaming units.
Detailed Description of Various Embodiments
[0011] Fig. 1 illustrates an embodiment of a casino gaming system 10 in accordance with
the invention. It should be noted that the terms "gaming system" and "gaming apparatus"
are intended to embrace lotteries. Likewise, when referring to "a casino game" or
"game," it is intended that these terms also include a lottery. Referring to Fig.
1, the casino gaming system 10 may include a first group or network 12 of casino gaming
units 20 operatively coupled to a network computer 22 via a network data link or bus
24. The casino gaming system 10 may include a second group or network 26 of casino
gaming units 30 operatively coupled to a network computer 32 via a network data link
or bus 34. The first and second gaming networks 12, 26 may be operatively coupled
to each other via a network 40, which may comprise, for example, the Internet, a wide
area network (WAN), or a local area network (LAN) via a first network link 42 and
a second network link 44.
[0012] The first network 12 of gaming units 20 may be provided in a first casino, and the
second network 26 of gaming units 30 may be provided in a second casino located in
a separate geographic location than the first casino. For example, the two casinos
may be located in different areas of the same city, or they may be located in different
states. The network 40 may include a plurality of network computers or server computers
(not shown), each of which may be operatively interconnected. Where the network 40
comprises the Internet, data communication may take place over the communication links
42, 44 via an Internet communication protocol.
[0013] The network computer 22 may be a server computer and may be used to accumulate and
analyze data relating to the operation of the gaming units 20. For example, the network
computer 22 may continuously receive data from each of the gaming units 20 indicative
of the dollar amount and number of wagers being made on each of the gaming units 20,
data indicative of how much each of the gaming units 20 is paying out in winnings,
data regarding the identity and gaming habits of players playing each of the gaming
units 20, etc. The network computer 32 may be a server computer and may be used to
perform the same or different functions in relation to the gaming units 30 as the
network computer 22 described above.
[0014] Although each network 12, 26 is shown to include one network computer 22, 32 and
four gaming units 20, 30, it should be understood that different numbers of computers
and gaming units may be utilized. For example, the network 12 may include a plurality
of network computers 22 and tens or hundreds of gaming units 20, all of which may
be interconnected via the data link 24. The data link 24 may provided as a dedicated
hardwired link or a wireless link. Although the data link 24 is shown as a single
data link 24, the data link 24 may comprise multiple data links.
[0015] Fig. 2 is a perspective view of one possible embodiment of one or more of the gaming
units 20. Although the following description addresses the design of the gaming units
20, it should be understood that the gaming units 30 may have the same design as the
gaming units 20 described below. It should be understood that the design of one or
more of the gaming units 20 may be different than the design of other gaming units
20, and that the design of one or more of the gaming units 30 may be different than
the design of other gaming units 30. Each gaming unit 20 may be any type of casino
gaming unit and may have various different structures and methods of operation. For
exemplary purposes, various designs of the gaming units 20 are described below, but
it should be understood that numerous other designs may be utilized.
[0016] Referring to Fig. 2, the casino gaming unit 20 may include a housing or cabinet 50
and one or more input devices, which may include a coin slot or acceptor 52, a paper
currency acceptor 54, a ticket reader/printer 56 and a card reader 58, which may be
used to input value to the gaming unit 20. A value input device may include any device
that can accept value from a customer. As used herein, the term "value" may encompass
gaming tokens, coins, paper currency, ticket vouchers, credit or debit cards, and
any other object representative of value.
[0017] If provided on the gaming unit 20, the ticket reader/printer 56 may be used to read
and/or print or otherwise encode ticket vouchers 60. The ticket vouchers 60 may be
composed of paper or another printable or encodable material and may have one or more
of the following informational items printed or encoded thereon: the casino name,
the type of ticket voucher, a validation number, a bar code with control and/or security
data, the date and time of issuance of the ticket voucher, redemption instructions
and restrictions, a description of an award, and any other information that may be
necessary or desirable. Different types of ticket vouchers 60 could be used, such
as bonus ticket vouchers, cash-redemption ticket vouchers, casino chip ticket vouchers,
extra game play ticket vouchers, merchandise ticket vouchers, restaurant ticket vouchers,
show ticket vouchers, etc. The ticket vouchers 60 could be printed with an optically
readable material such as ink, or data on the ticket vouchers 60 could be magnetically
encoded. The ticket reader/printer 56 may be provided with the ability to both read
and print ticket vouchers 60, or it may be provided with the ability to only read
or only print or encode ticket vouchers 60. In the latter case, for example, some
of the gaming units 20 may have ticket printers 56 that may be used to print ticket
vouchers 60, which could then be used by a player in other gaming units 20 that have
ticket readers 56.
[0018] If provided, the card reader 58 may include any type of card reading device, such
as a magnetic card reader or an optical card reader, and may be used to read data
from a card offered by a player, such as a credit card or a player tracking card.
If provided for player tracking purposes, the card reader 58 may be used to read data
from, and/or write data to, player tracking cards that are capable of storing data
representing the identity of a player, the identity of a casino, the player's gaming
habits, etc.
[0019] The gaming unit 20 may include one or more audio speakers 62, a coin payout tray
64 and a display unit 70 for displaying images relating to the game or games provided
by the gaming unit 20. The audio speakers 62 may generate audio representing sounds
such as the noise of spinning slot machine reels, a dealer's voice, music, announcements
or any other audio related to a casino game. The display unit 70 may be a mechanical
or electrical.
[0020] A user input area 66 provides inputs for player gaming selections, such as selecting
games, making wagers, making gaming decisions, and the like (Fig. 2A). The user input
area 66 may include a "See Pays" input 72 that, when activated, causes the display
unit 70 to generate one or more display screens showing the odds or payout information
for the game or games provided by the gaming unit 20. The input area 66 may include
a "Cash Out" input 74 that may be activated when a player decides to terminate play
on the gaming unit 20, in which case the gaming unit 20 may return value to the player,
such as by returning a number of coins to the player via the payout tray 64.
[0021] If the gaming unit 20 provides a slots game having a plurality of reels and a plurality
of paylines which define winning combinations of reel symbols, the user input area
66 may be provided with a plurality of selection inputs 76, each of which allows the
player to select a different number of paylines prior to spinning the reels. For example,
five inputs 76 may be provided, each of which may allow a player to select one, three,
five, seven or nine paylines. The user input area 66 may also include a plurality
of selection inputs 78 each of which allows a player to specify a wager amount for
each payline selected. For example, if the smallest wager accepted by the gaming unit
20 is a quarter ($0.25), the gaming unit 20 may be provided with five selection inputs
78, each of which may allow a player to select one, two, three, four or five quarters
to wager for each payline selected. In that case, if a player were to activate the
"5" assembly 76 (meaning that five paylines were to be played on the next spin of
the reels) and then activate the "3" assembly 78 (meaning that three coins per payline
were to be wagered), the total wager would be $3.75 (assuming the minimum bet was
$0.25).
[0022] The user input area 66 may include a "Max Bet" input 80 to allow a player to make
the maximum wager allowable for a game. In the above example, where up to nine paylines
were provided and up to five quarters could be wagered for each payline selected,
the maximum wager would be 45 quarters, or $11.25. The user input area 66 may include
a spin input 82 to allow the player to initiate spinning of the reels of a slots game
after a wager has been made.
[0023] In Fig. 2A, a rectangle is shown around the inputs 72, 74, 76, 78, 80, 82. It should
be understood that the rectangle simply designates, for ease of reference, an area
in which the inputs 72, 74, 76, 78, 80, 82 may be located. Consequently, the term
"user input area" should not be construed to imply that a panel or plate separate
from the housing 50 of the gaming unit 20 is required, and the term "user input area"
may encompass a plurality or grouping of player activatable inputs.
[0024] Although a user input area 66 having a particular set of inputs is described above,
it should be understood that different inputs could be utilized in the user input
area 66, and that the particular inputs used may depend on the game or games that
could be played on the gaming unit 20. Although the user input area 66 is shown to
be separate from the display unit 70, it should be understood that it could be located
on a screen 71 enclosing the display unit 70, as indicated by user input area 66a.
Furthermore, a gaming unit 20 may have more than one user input area.
[0025] The gaming unit 20 may further include a second display unit 73 positioned in a top
box portion 51 of the housing 50 (Fig. 2). The second display unit 73 may provide
output for auxiliary or bonus play, or may be used as the primary gaming output, in
which case the first display unit 70 would provide auxiliary or bonus play output.
As best shown in Figs. 2B and 2C, the top box portion 51 encloses the second display
unit 73 with a screen 75, and a user input area 66b is provided in the top box portion
51. The screen 75 may be formed of glass, plexi-glass, plastic, or any other known
screen material.
[0026] At least one of the user inputs may be provided as a touch pad assembly. The user
input area 66b located in the top box portion 51, for example, may include five touch
pad assemblies 77 for keying user selections. Referring to Figs. 2B, 2C, and 2D, it
will be understood that each touch pad assembly 77 includes a touch pad 79 that may
be disposed inside the top box portion 51. The touch pads 79 may be mounted on a sub-panel
81 as shown in Figs. 2C and 2D, or may be mounted directly on an interior side of
the screen 75 (i.e., the side of the screen 75 facing the second display unit 73),
as shown in Fig. 2E. When a sub-panel 81 is provided, the sub-panel may be supported
independent from the screen 75 so that, during maintenance, the screen 75 may be removed
without disturbing wiring to the touch pads 79. The touch pads 79 may also be provided
on any part of the gaming unit 20, such as in the housing 50, behind a front door
of the unit, or in any other such enclosure provided with the unit 20.
[0027] Each touch pad 79 may generate a touch detection field extending outwardly from the
pad. The touch detection field is illustrated schematically by a series of arrows
in Figs. 2D and 2E. The touch pads 79 may be positioned sufficiently near the cabinet
50 and/or screens 71, 75 so that at least a portion of the touch detection field projects
through and at least to an exterior side of the cabinet 50 and/or screens 71, 75,
thereby allowing access by the user. The user accessible portion of the touch detection
field is defined herein as a "touch area" that may be used for input, and therefore
it will be appreciated that the touch pad is spaced from the associated touch area.
For example, where the touch pad 79 is mounted directly to the interior side of the
screen 75, the touch area is formed on an exterior side of the screen 75, and therefore
the touch pad is spaced from the touch area by the thickness of the screen 75. A user
may create a disturbance in the touch detection field by, for example, placing a finger
in the touch area. Capacitive touch sensors marketed by MicroTouch Systems, Inc. under
the name "ThruGlass Laser Pads" may be used, which generate an electromagnetic field
as the touch detection field. Such sensors are capable of sensing touch through up
to one inch of non-conductive material. In the alternative, the touch detection field
may be a radio frequency (RF) field, an infrared (IR) field, a resistive field, or
any other field capable of detecting touch through a medium. Graphical representations
89 may be provided on an exterior face of the housing 50 and/or screens 75, 71 for
indicating the general location of the touch area. As best shown in Figs. 2D and 2E,
the sub-panel 81 may further include a backlight board 83 carrying a backlight 85,
such as an LED. The backlight 85 is positioned behind the touch pads 79 and may be
used to illuminate the graphical representations 89 if the touch pads 79 are transparent.
[0028] A touch pad controller 87 may be provided for detecting a user touch in a touch area
and generating a switch activation signal. Each of the touch pads 79 may be connected
to the touch pad controller 87 by a cable 93. The cable 93 may include one, two, or
more conductors, and may be provided in any suitable form, such as a wire, a conductive
transparent film (such as indium tin oxide [ITO]), or other conductive material. The
touch pad controller 87 may sense any disturbances in the touch detection field and,
in response, may create a switch activation signal representing a user input selection.
[0029] In an alternative embodiment, multiple touch pads may be provided on a single substrate.
As shown in Fig. 2F, discrete areas 94a-d of a conductive transparent film (such as
ITO) may be deposited onto a panel 95 of non-conductive material, such as plexi-glass.
Conductors may be provided on the panel 95 that extend from a connector 96 to each
area of conductive film 94a-d, as illustrated by conductors 97a-d. A ground conductor
99 may also be provided on the panel 95. The connector 96 may be connected to the
touch pad controller 87. As a result, each discrete area 94a-d of conductive transparent
film may correspond to a touch pad. The panel 95 may be positioned anywhere on the
gaming unit 20. For example, the panel 95 may be attached to an interior face of the
screen 75, similar to the embodiment illustrated at Fig. 2E, or may be supported as
a sub-panel, similar to the embodiment illustrated at Fig. 2D.
[0030] While the gaming unit 20 is described herein as an upright unit having primary and
bonus displays, it will be appreciated that the gaming unit 20 may have only a single
display or more than two displays. In addition, the gaming unit 20 may be provided
as a flat- or table-top unit, or any other style of gaming unit known in the art.
Gaming Unit Electronics
[0031] Fig. 3 is a block diagram of a number of components that may be incorporated in the
gaming unit 20. Referring to Fig. 3, the gaming unit 20 may include a controller 100
that may comprise a program memory 102, a microcontroller or microprocessor (MP) 104,
a random-access memory (RAM) 106 and an input/output (I/O) circuit 108, all of which
may be interconnected via an address/data bus 110. It should be appreciated that although
only one microprocessor 104 is shown, the controller 100 may include multiple microprocessors
104. Similarly, the memory of the controller 100 may include multiple RAMs 106 and
multiple program memories 102. Although the I/O circuit 108 is shown as a single block,
it should be appreciated that the I/O circuit 108 may include a number of different
types of I/O circuits. The RAM(s) 106 and program memories 102 may be implemented
as semiconductor memories, magnetically readable memories, and/or optically readable
memories, for example.
[0032] Fig. 3 illustrates that the touch pad controller 87, the coin acceptor 52, the bill
acceptor 54, the card reader 58 and the ticket reader/printer 56 may be operatively
coupled to the I/O circuit 108, each of those components being so coupled by either
a unidirectional or bidirectional, single-line or multiple-line data link, which may
depend on the design of the component that is used. The touch pads 79 are, in turn,
operatively coupled to the touch pad controller 87. The speaker(s) 62 may be operatively
coupled to a sound circuit 112, that may comprise a voice- and sound-synthesis circuit
or that may comprise a driver circuit. The sound-generating circuit 112 may be coupled
to the I/O circuit 108.
[0033] As shown in Fig. 3, the components 52, 54, 56, 58, 87, 112 may be connected to the
I/O circuit 108 via a respective direct line or conductor. Different connection schemes
could be used. For example, one or more of the components shown in Fig. 3 may be connected
to the I/O circuit 108 via a common bus or other data link that is shared by a number
of components. Furthermore, some of the components may be directly connected to the
microprocessor 104 without passing through the I/O circuit 108.
Overall Operation of Gaming Unit
[0034] One manner in which one or more of the gaming units 20 (and one or more of the gaming
units 30) may operate is described below in connection with a number of flowcharts
which represent a number of portions or routines of one or more computer programs,
which may be stored in one or more of the memories of the controller 100. The computer
program(s) or portions thereof may be stored remotely, outside of the gaming unit
20, and may control the operation of the gaming unit 20 from a remote location. Such
remote control may be facilitated with the use of a wireless connection, or by an
Internet interface that connects the gaming unit 20 with a remote computer (such as
one of the network computers 22, 32) having a memory in which the computer program
portions are stored. The computer program portions may be written in any high level
language such as C, C+, C++ or the like or any low-level, assembly or machine language.
By storing the computer program portions therein, various portions of the memories
102, 106 are physically and/or structurally configured in accordance with computer
program instructions.
[0035] Fig. 4 is a flowchart of a main operating routine 200 that may be stored in the memory
of the controller 100. Referring to Fig. 4, the main routine 200 may begin operation
at block 202 during which an attraction sequence may be performed in an attempt to
induce a potential player in a casino to play the gaming unit 20. The attraction sequence
may be performed by displaying one or more video images on the display units 70, 73
and/or causing one or more sound segments, such as voice or music, to be generated
via the speakers 62. The attraction sequence may include a scrolling list of games
that may be played on the gaming unit 20 and/or gaming images, which may be actual
images (such as on slot machine reels) or video images, of various games being played,
such as poker, blackjack, slots, keno, bingo, etc.
[0036] During performance of the attraction sequence, if a potential player makes any input
to the gaming unit 20 as determined at block 204, the attraction sequence may be terminated
and a game-selection display may be generated on the display unit 70/73 at block 206
to allow the player to select a game available on the gaming unit 20. The gaming unit
20 may detect an input at block 204 in various ways. For example, the gaming unit
20 could detect if the player presses any touch pad or button on the gaming unit 20;
the gaming unit 20 could determine if the player deposited one or more coins into
the gaming unit 20; the gaming unit 20 could determine if player deposited paper currency
into the gaming unit; etc.
[0037] The game-selection display generated at block 206 may include, for example, a list
of video games that may be played on the gaming unit 20 and/or a visual message to
prompt the player to deposit value into the gaming unit 20. While the game-selection
display is generated, the gaming unit 20 may wait for the player to make a game selection.
Upon selection of one of the games by the player as determined at block 208, the controller
100 may cause one of a number of game routines to be performed to allow the selected
game to be played. For example, the game routines could include a poker routine 210,
a blackjack routine 220, a slots routine 230, a keno routine 240, and a bingo routine
250. At block 208, if no game selection is made within a given period of time, the
operation may branch back to block 202.
[0038] After one of the routines 210, 220, 230, 240, 250 has been performed to allow the
player to play one of the games, block 260 may be utilized to determine whether the
player wishes to terminate play on the gaming unit 20 or to select another game. If
the player wishes to stop playing the gaming unit 20, which wish may be expressed,
for example, by selecting a "Cash Out" touch pad or button, the controller 100 may
dispense value to the player at block 262 based on the outcome of the game(s) played
by the player. The operation may then return to block 202. If the player did not wish
to quit as determined at block 260, the routine may return to block 208 where the
game-selection display may again be generated to allow the player to select another
game.
[0039] It should be noted that although five gaming routines are shown in Fig. 4, a different
number of routines could be included to allow play of a different number of games.
The gaming unit 20 may also be programmed to allow play of different games.
[0040] Fig. 5 is a flowchart of an alternative main operating routine 300 that may be stored
in the memory of the controller 100. The main routine 300 may be utilized for gaming
units 20 that are designed to allow play of only a single game or single type of game.
Referring to Fig. 5, the main routine 300 may begin operation at block 302 during
which an attraction sequence may be performed in an attempt to induce a potential
player in a casino to play the gaming unit 20. The attraction sequence may be performed
by displaying one or more video images on the display units 70, 73 and/or causing
one or more sound segments, such as voice or music, to be generated via the speakers
62.
[0041] During performance of the attraction sequence, if a potential player makes any input
to the gaming unit 20 as determined at block 304, the attraction sequence may be terminated
and a game display may be generated on one of the display unit 70/73 at block 306.
The game display generated at block 306 may include, for example, an image of the
casino game that may be played on the gaming unit 20 and/or a visual message to prompt
the player to deposit value into the gaming unit 20. At block 308, the gaming unit
20 may determine if the player requested information concerning the game, in which
case the requested information may be displayed at block 310. Block 312 may be used
to determine if the player requested initiation of a game, in which case a game routine
320 may be performed. The game routine 320 could be any one of the game routines disclosed
herein, such as one of the five game routines 210, 220, 230, 240, 250, or another
game routine.
[0042] After the routine 320 has been performed to allow the player to play the game, block
322 may be utilized to determine whether the player wishes to terminate play on the
gaming unit 20. If the player wishes to stop playing the gaming unit 20, which wish
may be expressed, for example, by selecting a "Cash Out" input, the controller 100
may dispense value to the player at block 324 based on the outcome of the game(s)
played by the player. The operation may then return to block 302. If the player did
not wish to quit as determined at block 322, the operation may return to block 308.
[0043] Examples of the five game routines are set forth below. The examples are described
in conjunction with a gaming unit 20 having a single display unit 70, in which the
display unit is a video display. It should be understood, however, that the game routines
may be provided on a gaming unit having a mechanical display, or on more than one
display wherein each display may be electronic or mechanical.
Video Poker
[0044] Fig. 6 is an exemplary display 350 that may be shown on the display unit 70 during
performance of the video poker routine 210 shown schematically in Fig. 4. Referring
to Fig. 6, the display 350 may include video images 352 of a plurality of playing
cards representing the player's hand, such as five cards. To allow the player to control
the play of the video poker game, a plurality of player-selectable inputs may be provided.
These may include a "Hold" input 354 disposed directly below each of the playing card
images 352, a "Cash Out" input 356, a "See Pays" input 358, a "Bet One Credit" input
360, a "Bet Max Credits" input 362, and a "Deal/Draw" input 364. The display 350 may
also include an area 366 in which the number of remaining credits or value is displayed.
If the display unit 70 is provided with a touch-sensitive screen, the inputs 354,
356, 358, 360, 362, 364 may form part of the video display 350. Alternatively, one
or more of those inputs may be provided as part of a control panel that is provided
separately from the display unit 70. Still further, one or more of the inputs may
be provided as a touch pad assembly located in a user input area.
[0045] Fig. 8 is a flowchart of the video poker routine 210 shown schematically in Fig.
4. Referring to Fig. 8, at block 370, the routine may determine whether the player
has requested payout information, such as by activating the "See Pays" input 358,
in which case at block 372 the routine may cause one or more pay tables to be displayed
on the display unit 70. At block 374, the routine may determine whether the player
has made a bet, such as by pressing the "Bet One Credit" input 360, in which case
at block 376 bet data corresponding to the bet made by the player may be stored in
the memory of the controller 100. At block 378, the routine may determine whether
the player has pressed the "Bet Max Credits" input 362, in which case at block 380
bet data corresponding to the maximum allowable bet may be stored in the memory of
the controller 100.
[0046] At block 382, the routine may determine if the player desires a new hand to be dealt,
which may be determined by detecting if the "Deal/Draw" input 364 was activated after
a wager was made. In that case, at block 384 a video poker hand may be "dealt" by
causing the display unit 70 to generate the playing card images 352. After the hand
is dealt, at block 386 the routine may determine if any of the "Hold" inputs 354 have
been activated by the player, in which case data regarding which of the playing card
images 352 are to be "held" may be stored in the controller 100 at block 388. If the
"Deal/Draw" input 364 is activated again as determined at block 390, each of the playing
card images 352 that was not "held" may be caused to disappear from the video display
350 and to be replaced by a new, randomly selected, playing card image 352 at block
392.
[0047] At block 394, the routine may determine whether the poker hand represented by the
playing card images 352 currently displayed is a winner. That determination may be
made by comparing data representing the currently displayed poker hand with data representing
all possible winning hands, which may be stored in the memory of the controller 100.
If there is a winning hand, a payout value corresponding to the winning hand may be
determined at block 396. At block 398, the player's cumulative value or number of
credits may be updated by subtracting the bet made by the player and adding, if the
hand was a winner, the payout value determined at block 396. The cumulative value
or number of credits may also be displayed in the display area 366 (Fig. 6).
[0048] Although the video poker routine 210 is described above in connection with a single
poker hand of five cards, the routine 210 may be modified to allow other versions
of poker to be played. For example, seven card poker may be played, or stud poker
may be played. Alternatively, multiple poker hands may be simultaneously played. In
that case, the game may begin by dealing a single poker hand, and the player may be
allowed to hold certain cards. After deciding which cards to hold, the held cards
may be duplicated in a plurality of different poker hands, with the remaining cards
for each of those poker hands being randomly determined.
Video Blackjack
[0049] Fig. 7 is an exemplary display 400 that may be shown on the display unit 70 during
performance of the video blackjack routine 220 shown schematically in Fig. 4. Referring
to Fig. 7, the display 400 may include video images 402 of a pair of playing cards
representing a dealer's hand, with one of the cards shown face up and the other card
being shown face down, and video images 404 of a pair of playing cards representing
a player's hand, with both the cards shown face up. The "dealer" may be the gaming
unit 20.
[0050] To allow the player to control the play of the video blackjack game, a plurality
of player-selectable inputs may be provided. These may include a "Cash Out" input
406, a "See Pays" input 408, a "Stay" input 410, a "Hit" input 412, a "Bet One Credit"
input 414, and a "Bet Max Credits" input 416. The display 400 may also include an
area 418 in which the number of remaining credits or value is displayed. If the display
unit 70 is provided with a touch-sensitive screen, the inputs 406, 408, 410, 412,
414, 416 may form part of the video display 400. Alternatively, one or more of those
inputs may be provided as part of a control panel that is provided separately from
the display unit 70. Still further, one or more of the inputs may be provided as a
touch pad assembly.
[0051] Fig. 9 is a flowchart of the video blackjack routine 220 shown schematically in Fig.
4. Referring to Fig. 9, the video blackjack routine 220 may begin at block 420 where
it may determine whether a bet has been made by the player. That may be determined,
for example, by detecting the activation of either the "Bet One Credit" input 414
or the "Bet Max Credits" input 416. At block 422, bet data corresponding to the bet
made at block 420 may be stored in the memory of the controller 100. At block 424,
a dealer's hand and a player's hand may be "dealt" by making the playing card images
402, 404 appear on the display unit 70.
[0052] At block 426, the player may be allowed to be "hit," in which case at block 428 another
card will be dealt to the player's hand by making another playing card image 404 appear
in the display 400. If the player is hit, block 430 may determine if the player has
"bust," or exceeded 21. If the player has not bust, blocks 426 and 428 may be performed
again to allow the player to be hit again.
[0053] If the player decides not to hit, at block 432 the routine may determine whether
the dealer should be hit. Whether the dealer hits may be determined in accordance
with predetermined rules, such as the dealer always hit if the dealer's hand totals
15 or less. If the dealer hits, at block 434 the dealer's hand may be dealt another
card by making another playing card image 402 appear in the display 400. At block
436 the routine may determine whether the dealer has bust. If the dealer has not bust,
blocks 432, 434 may be performed again to allow the dealer to be hit again.
[0054] If the dealer does not hit, at block 436 the outcome of the blackjack game and a
corresponding payout may be determined based on, for example, whether the player or
the dealer has the higher hand that does not exceed 21. If the player has a winning
hand, a payout value corresponding to the winning hand may be determined at block
440. At block 442, the player's cumulative value or number of credits may be updated
by subtracting the bet made by the player and adding, if the player won, the payout
value determined at block 440. The cumulative value or number of credits may also
be displayed in the display area 418 (Fig. 7).
Slots
[0055] Fig. 10 is an exemplary display 450 that may be shown on the display unit 70 during
performance of the slots routine 230 shown schematically in Fig. 4. Referring to Fig.
10, the display 450 may include video images 452 of a plurality of slot machine reels,
each of the reels having a plurality of reel symbols 454 associated therewith. Although
the display 450 shows five reel images 452, each of which may have three reel symbols
454 that are visible at a time, other reel configurations could be utilized.
[0056] To allow the player to control the play of the slots game, a plurality of player-selectable
inputs may be displayed. These may include a "Cash Out" input 456, a "See Pays" input
458, a plurality of payline-selection inputs 460 each of which allows the player to
select a different number of paylines prior to "spinning" the reels, a plurality of
bet-selection inputs 462 each of which allows a player to specify a wager amount for
each payline selected, a "Spin" input 464, and a "Max Bet" input 466 to allow a player
to make the maximum wager allowable.
[0057] Fig. 12 is a flowchart of the slots routine 230 shown schematically in Fig. 10. Referring
to Fig. 12, at block 470, the routine may determine whether the player has requested
payout information, such as by activating the "See Pays" input 458, in which case
at block 472 the routine may cause one or more pay tables to be displayed on the display
unit 70. At block 474, the routine may determine whether the player has pressed one
of the payline-selection inputs 460, in which case at block 476 data corresponding
to the number of paylines selected by the player may be stored in the memory of the
controller 100. At block 478, the routine may determine whether the player has pressed
one of the bet-selection inputs 462, in which case at block 480 data corresponding
to the amount bet per payline may be stored in the memory of the controller 100. At
block 482, the routine may determine whether the player has pressed the "Max Bet"
input 466, in which case at block 484 bet data (which may include both payline data
and bet-per-payline data) corresponding to the maximum allowable bet may be stored
in the memory of the controller 100.
[0058] If the "Spin" input 464 has been activated by the player as determined at block 486,
at block 488 the routine may cause the slot machine reel images 452 to begin "spinning"
so as to simulate the appearance of a plurality of spinning mechanical slot machine
reels. At block 490, the routine may determine the positions at which the slot machine
reel images will stop, or the particular symbol images 454 that will be displayed
when the reel images 452 stop spinning. At block 492, the routine may stop the reel
images 452 from spinning by displaying stationary reel images 452 and images of three
symbols 454 for each stopped reel image 452. The virtual reels may be stopped from
left to right, from the perspective of the player, or in any other manner or sequence.
[0059] The routine may provide for the possibility of a bonus game or round if certain conditions
are met, such as the display in the stopped reel images 452 of a particular symbol
454. If there is such a bonus condition as determined at block 494, the routine may
proceed to block 496 where a bonus round may be played. The bonus round may be a different
game than slots, and many other types of bonus games could be provided. If the player
wins the bonus round, or receives additional credits or points in the bonus round,
a bonus value may be determined at block 498. A payout value corresponding to outcome
of the slots game and/or the bonus round may be determined at block 500. At block
502, the player's cumulative value or number of credits may be updated by subtracting
the bet made by the player and adding, if the slot game and/or bonus round was a winner,
the payout value determined at block 500.
[0060] Although the above routine has been described as a virtual slot machine routine in
which slot machine reels are represented as images on the display unit 70, actual
slot machine reels that are capable of being spun may be utilized instead.
Video Keno
[0061] Fig. 11 is an exemplary display 520 that may be shown on the display unit 70 during
performance of the video keno routine 240 shown schematically in Fig. 4. Referring
to Fig. 11, the display 520 may include a video image 522 of a plurality of numbers
that were selected by the player prior to the start of a keno game and a video image
524 of a plurality of numbers randomly selected during the keno game. The randomly
selected numbers may be displayed in a grid pattern.
[0062] To allow the player to control the play of the keno game, a plurality of player-selectable
inputs may be displayed. These may include a "Cash Out" input 526, a "See Pays" input
528, a "Bet One Credit" input 530, a "Bet Max Credits" input 532, a "Select Ticket"
input 534, a "Select Number" input 536, and a "Play" input 538. The display 520 may
also include an area 540 in which the number of remaining credits or value is displayed.
If the display unit 70 is provided with a touch-sensitive screen, the inputs may form
part of the video display 520. Alternatively, one or more of those inputs may be provided
as part of a control panel that is provided separately from the display unit 70. Still
further, one or more of the inputs may be provided as a touch pad assembly.
[0063] Fig. 13 is a flowchart of the video keno routine 240 shown schematically in Fig.
4. The keno routine 240 may be utilized in connection with a single gaming unit 20
where a single player is playing a keno game, or the keno routine 240 may be utilized
in connection with multiple gaming units 20 where multiple players are playing a single
keno game. In the latter case, one or more of the acts described below may be performed
either by the controller 100 in each gaming unit or by one of the network computer
22, 32 to which multiple gaming units 20 are operatively connected.
[0064] Referring to Fig. 13, at block 550, the routine may determine whether the player
has requested payout information, such as by activating the "See Pays" input 528,
in which case at block 552 the routine may cause one or more pay tables to be displayed
on the display unit 70. At block 554, the routine may determine whether the player
has made a bet, such as by having pressed the "Bet One Credit" input 530 or the "Bet
Max Credits" input 532, in which case at block 556 bet data corresponding to the bet
made by the player may be stored in the memory of the controller 100. After the player
has made a wager, at block 558 the player may select a keno ticket, and at block 560
the ticket may be displayed on the display 520. At block 562, the player may select
one or more game numbers, which may be within a range set by the casino. After being
selected, the player's game numbers may be stored in the memory of the controller
100 at block 564 and may be included in the image 522 on the display 520 at block
566. After a certain amount of time, the keno game may be closed to additional players
(where a number of players are playing a single keno game using multiple gambling
units 20).
[0065] If play of the keno game is to begin as determined at block 568, at block 570 a game
number within a range set by the casino may be randomly selected either by the controller
100 or a central computer operatively connected to the controller, such as one of
the network computers 22, 32. At block 572, the randomly selected game number may
be displayed on the display unit 70 and the display units 70 of other gaming units
20 (if any) which are involved in the same keno game. At block 574, the controller
100 (or the central computer noted above) may increment a count which keeps track
of how many game numbers have been selected at block 570.
[0066] At block 576, the controller 100 (or one of the network computers 22, 32) may determine
whether a maximum number of game numbers within the range have been randomly selected.
If not, another game number may be randomly selected at block 570. If the maximum
number of game numbers has been selected, at block 578 the controller 100 (or a central
computer) may determine whether there are a sufficient number of matches between the
game numbers selected by the player and the game numbers selected at block 570 to
cause the player to win. The number of matches may depend on how many numbers the
player selected and the particular keno rules being used.
[0067] If there are a sufficient number of matches, a payout may be determined at block
580 to compensate the player for winning the game. The payout may depend on the number
of matches between the game numbers selected by the player and the game numbers randomly
selected at block 570. At block 582, the player's cumulative value or number of credits
may be updated by subtracting the bet made by the player and adding, if the keno game
was won, the payout value determined at block 580. The cumulative value or number
of credits may also be displayed in the display area 540 (Fig. 11).
Video Bingo
[0068] Fig. 14 is an exemplary display 600 that may be shown on the display unit 70 during
performance of the video bingo routine 250 shown schematically in Fig. 4. Referring
to Fig. 14, the display 600 may include one or more video images 602 of a bingo card
and images of the bingo numbers selected during the game. The bingo card images 602
may have a grid pattern.
[0069] To allow the player to control the play of the bingo game, a plurality of player-selectable
inputs may be displayed. These may include a "Cash Out" input 604, a "See Pays" input
606, a "Bet One Credit" input 608, a "Bet Max Credits" input 610, a "Select Card"
input 612, and a "Play" input 614. The display 600 may also include an area 616 in
which the number of remaining credits or value is displayed. If the display unit 70
is provided with a touch-sensitive screen, the inputs may form part of the video display
600. Alternatively, one or more of those inputs may be provided as part of a control
panel that is provided separately from the display unit 70. Still further, one or
more of the inputs may be provided as a touch pad assembly.
[0070] Fig. 15 is a flowchart of the video bingo routine 250 shown schematically in Fig.
4. The bingo routine 250 may be utilized in connection with a single gaming unit 20
where a single player is playing a bingo game, or the bingo routine 250 may be utilized
in connection with multiple gaming units 20 where multiple players are playing a single
bingo game. In the latter case, one or more of the acts described below may be performed
either by the controller 100 in each gaming unit 20 or by one of the network computers
22, 32 to which multiple gaming units 20 are operatively connected.
[0071] Referring to Fig. 15, at block 620, the routine may determine whether the player
has requested payout information, such as by activating the "See Pays" input 606,
in which case at block 622 the routine may cause one or more pay tables to be displayed
on the display unit 70. At block 624, the routine may determine whether the player
has made a bet, such as by having pressed the "Bet One Credit" input 608 or the "Bet
Max Credits" input 610, in which case at block 626 bet data corresponding to the bet
made by the player may be stored in the memory of the controller 100.
[0072] After the player has made a wager, at block 628 the player may select a bingo card,
which may be generated randomly. The player may select more than one bingo card, and
there may be a maximum number of bingo cards that a player may select. After play
is to commence as determined at block 632, at block 634 a bingo number may be randomly
generated by the controller 100 or a central computer such as one of the network computers
22, 32. At block 636, the bingo number may be displayed on the display unit 70 and
the display units 70 of any other gaming units 20 involved in the bingo game.
[0073] At block 638, the controller 100 (or a central computer) may determine whether any
player has won the bingo game. If no player has won, another bingo number may be randomly
selected at block 634. If any player has bingo as determined at block 638, the routine
may determine at block 640 whether the player playing that gaming unit 20 was the
winner. If so, at block 642 a payout for the player may be determined. The payout
may depend on the number of random numbers that were drawn before there was a winner,
the total number of winners (if there was more than one player), and the amount of
money that was wagered on the game. At block 644, the player's cumulative value or
number of credits may be updated by subtracting the bet made by the player and adding,
if the bingo game was won, the payout value determined at block 642. The cumulative
value or number of credits may also be displayed in the display area 616 (Fig. 14).
[0074] Numerous modifications and alternative embodiments of the invention will be apparent
to those skilled in the art in view of the foregoing description. This description
is to be construed as illustrative only, and is for the purpose of teaching those
skilled in the art the best mode of carrying out the invention. The details of the
structure and method may be varied substantially without departing from the spirit
of the invention, and the exclusive use of all modifications which come within the
scope of the appended claims is reserved.
1. A gaming apparatus, comprising:
a display unit that is capable of generating gaming images;
a value input device;
a touch pad assembly including at least one touch pad having a touch detection field,
wherein at least a portion of said touch detection field defines a touch area and
wherein a user touch in said touch area creates a disturbance in said touch detection
field to generate a switch activation signal;
a controller operatively coupled to said display unit and said value input device,
said controller comprising a processor and a memory operatively coupled to said processor,
said controller being programmed to allow a person to make a wager,
said controller being programmed to cause a gaming image to be generated on said display
unit, said gaming image representing a game selected from said group of games consisting
of poker, blackjack, slots, keno and bingo,
said gaming image comprising an image of at least five playing cards if said game
comprises poker,
said gaming image comprising an image of a plurality of slot machine reels if said
game comprises slots,
said gaming image comprising an image of a plurality of playing cards if said game
comprises blackjack,
said gaming image comprising an image of a plurality of keno numbers if said game
comprises keno,
said gaming image comprising an image of a bingo grid if said game comprises bingo,
said controller being programmed to determine a value payout associated with an outcome
of said game, and
said controller being programmed to respond to said switch activation signal.
2. A gaming apparatus as defined in claim 1, further comprising a graphical representation
for indicating said touch area.
3. A gaming apparatus as defined in claim 2, in which the touch pad assembly is disposed
in an enclosure and the graphical representation is provided on an exterior of said
enclosure.
4. A gaming apparatus as defined in claim 1, in which the display unit is mounted inside
a housing and said housing includes a screen through which said display unit is viewed,
wherein said screen has an interior side facing said display unit and an opposite
exterior side, and wherein said touch pad is positioned near said screen interior
side so that said touch area includes at least a portion of said screen exterior side.
5. A gaming apparatus as defined in claim 4, further comprising a sub-panel disposed
inside said housing and supported independent of said screen, wherein said at least
one touch pad is supported by said sub-panel.
6. A gaming apparatus as defined in claim 4, in which the at least one touch pad is supported
from the screen interior side.
7. A gaming apparatus as defined in claim 4, further comprising a graphical representation
on said screen exterior side for indicating said touch area.
8. A gaming apparatus as defined in claim 1, further comprising a top box portion enclosing
a second display unit, in which said at least one touch pad is disposed inside said
top box portion, and said touch area includes at least a portion of an exterior surface
of said top box portion.
9. A gaming apparatus as defined in claim 1, in which said touch detection field comprises
an electromagnetic field.
10. A gaming apparatus as defined in claim 1, in which said touch area is spaced from
said touch pad.
11. A gaming apparatus, comprising:
a display unit that is capable of generating gaming images;
a value input device;
a touch pad assembly including at least one touch pad having a touch detection field,
wherein at least a portion of said touch detection field defines a touch area, and
wherein a user touch in said touch area creates a disturbance in said field to generate
a switch activation signal;
a controller operatively coupled to said display unit and said value input device,
said controller comprising a processor and a memory operatively coupled to said processor,
said controller being programmed to allow a person to make a wager;
said controller being programmed to cause a gaming image to be generated on said display
unit, said gaming image representing a casino game,
said controller being programmed to determine, after said gaming image has been displayed,
a value payout associated with an outcome of said casino game, and
said controller being programmed to respond to said switch activation signal.
12. A gaming apparatus as defined in claim 11, further comprising a graphical representation
for indicating said touch area.
13. A gaming apparatus as defined in claim 12, in which the touch pad assembly is disposed
in an enclosure and the graphical representation is provided on an exterior of said
enclosure.
14. A gaming apparatus as defined in claim 11, in which the display unit is mounted inside
a housing and said housing includes a screen through which said display unit is viewed,
wherein said screen has an interior side facing said display unit and an opposite
exterior side, and wherein said touch pad is positioned near said screen interior
side so that said touch area includes at least a portion of said screen exterior side.
15. A gaming apparatus as defined in claim 14, further comprising a sub-panel disposed
inside said housing and supported independent of said screen, wherein said at least
one touch pad is supported by said sub-panel.
16. A gaming apparatus as defined in claim 14, in which the at least one touch pad is
supported from the screen interior side.
17. A gaming apparatus as defined in claim 14, further comprising a graphical representation
on said screen exterior side for indicating said touch area.
18. A gaming apparatus as defined in claim 11, further comprising a top box portion enclosing
a second display unit, in which said at least one touch pad is disposed inside said
top box portion, and said touch area includes at least a portion of an exterior surface
of said top box portion.
19. A gaming apparatus as defined in claim 11, in which said touch detection field comprises
an electromagnetic field.
20. A gaming apparatus as defined in claim 11, in which said touch area is spaced from
said touch pad.
21. A gaming apparatus, comprising:
a display unit that is capable of generating gaming images;
a value input device;
a touch pad assembly including at least one touch pad having a touch detection field,
wherein at least a portion of said touch detection field defines a touch area, and
wherein a user touch in said touch area creates a disturbance in said field to generate
a switch activation signal;
a controller operatively coupled to said display unit and said value input device,
said controller comprising a processor and a memory operatively coupled to said processor,
said controller being programmed to allow a person to make a wager,
said controller being programmed to allow a person to make a payline selection,
said controller being programmed to cause a gaming image to be generated on said display
unit, said gaming image comprising a plurality of slot machine reels of a slots game,
each of said slot machine reels having a plurality of slot machine symbols,
said controller being programmed to determine a value payout associated with an outcome
of said slots game, said controller being programmed to determine an outcome of said
slots game based on a configuration of said slot machine symbols, and
said controller being programmed to respond to said switch activation signal.
22. A gaming apparatus as defined in claim 21, wherein said controller is programmed to
allow a user to select a number of paylines.
23. A gaming apparatus as defined in claim 21, further comprising a graphical representation
for indicating said touch area.
24. A gaming apparatus as defined in claim 22, in which the touch pad assembly is disposed
in an enclosure and the graphical representation is provided on an exterior of said
enclosure.
25. A gaming apparatus as defined in claim 21, in which the display unit is mounted inside
a housing and said housing includes a screen through which said display unit is viewed,
wherein said screen has an interior side facing said display unit and an opposite
exterior side, and wherein said touch pad is positioned near said screen interior
side so that said touch area includes at least a portion of said screen exterior side.
26. A gaming apparatus as defined in claim 25, further comprising a sub-panel disposed
inside said housing and supported independent of said screen, wherein said at least
one touch pad is supported by said sub-panel.
27. A gaming apparatus as defined in claim 25, in which the at least one touch pad is
supported from the screen interior side.
28. A gaming apparatus as defined in claim 25, further comprising a graphical representation
on said screen exterior side for indicating said touch area.
29. A gaming apparatus as defined in claim 21, further comprising a top box portion enclosing
a second display unit, in which said at least one touch pad is disposed inside said
top box portion, and said touch area includes at least a portion of an exterior surface
of said top box portion.
30. A gaming apparatus as defined in claim 21, in which said touch detection field comprises
an electromagnetic field.
31. A gaming apparatus as defined in claim 21, in which said touch area is spaced from
said touch pad.
32. A gaming apparatus, comprising:
a display unit that is capable of generating gaming images;
a value input device;
a touch pad assembly including a plurality of touch pads, each touch pad having a
touch detection field, wherein at least a portion of said touch detection field defines
a touch area, and wherein a user touch in said touch area creates a disturbance in
said field to generate a switch activation signal;
a controller operatively coupled to said display unit and said value input device,
said controller comprising a processor and a memory operatively coupled to said processor,
said controller being programmed to allow a person to make a wager;
said controller being programmed to cause a gaming image to be generated on said display
unit, said gaming image representing a casino game,
said controller being programmed to determine, after said gaming image has been displayed,
a value payout associated with an outcome of said casino game, and
said controller being programmed to respond to said switch activation signal.
33. A gaming apparatus as defined in claim 32, further comprising graphical representations
for indicating said touch area associated with each touch pad.
34. A gaming apparatus as defined in claim 32, in which said plurality of touch pads are
disposed behind a screen so that said touch area associated with each touch pad includes
at least a portion of an exterior of said screen.
35. A gaming apparatus as defined in claim 34, further comprising a sub-panel disposed
inside said housing and supported independent of said screen, wherein said plurality
of touch pads are supported by said sub-panel.
36. A gaming apparatus as defined in claim 34, in which said plurality of touch pads are
supported from the screen interior side.
37. A gaming apparatus as defined in claim 32, further comprising a top box portion enclosing
a second display unit, in which said plurality of touch pads are disposed inside said
top box portion, and said touch area associated with each touch pad includes at least
a portion of an exterior surface of said top box portion.
38. A gaming apparatus as defined in claim 32, in which said touch detection field associated
with each touch pad comprises an electromagnetic field.
39. A gaming apparatus as defined in claim 32, in which said touch area associated with
each of said plurality of touch pads is spaced from said respective touch pad.